Split socket wrench and method of using same

ABSTRACT

A wrench-type handtool for manipulating annular bands such as the clamping rings used on a rubber tube in spear gun slings, the wrench being essentially a block with a bore of a diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the ring to be manipulated, with a step or shoulder in the bore having a diameter approximateing the internal diameter of the ring, the block being split so as to be slightly compressible for gripping the ring. The invention includes the method of using the wrench in assembling a spear gun sling, including the steps of placing the rings on a ball-ended wishbone, forcing the ball ends into the ends of the rubber tubing, lubricating the ends of the rubber tubing with a water soluble substance, capturing the rings in the stepped bore of the wrench and manipulating the wrench with the rings therein onto the lubricated ends of the tubing and then, of course, removing the wrench and washing the assembled sling to remove the lubricant. A special clamp is disclosed for clamping the rubber tubing close to the ends thereof while manipulating the ball ends of the wishbone into the bore of the tubing and while manipulating the rings onto the ends of the tubing.

United States Patent 1 Wood et a1.

[ Dec. 25, 1973 SPLIT SOCKET WRENCH AND METHOD OF USING SAME [76] Inventors: Gary J. Wood, 4215 47th St.;

Bonnie G. Wood, 1940 California St., both of San Diego, Calif.

[22] Filed: July 1, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 155,169

Primary ExaminerJames L. Jones, Jr. Att0rneyl(nox & Knox [5 7] ABSTRACT A wrench-type handtool for manipulating annular bands such as the clamping rings used on a rubber tube in spear gun slings, the wrench being essentially a block with a bore of a diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the ring to be manipulated, with a step or shoulder in the bore having a diameter approximateing the internal diameter of the ring, the block being split so as to be slightly compressible for gripping the ring. The invention includes the method of using the wrench in assembling a spear gun sling, including the steps of placing the rings on a ball-ended wishbone, forcing the ball ends into the ends of the rubber tubing, lubricating the ends of the rubber tubing with a water soluble substance, capturing the rings in the stepped bore of the wrench and manipulating the wrench with the rings therein onto the lubricated ends of the tubing and then, of course, removing the wrench and washing the assembled sling to remove the lubricant. A special clamp is disclosed for clamping the rubber tubing close to the ends thereof while manipulating the ball ends of the wishbone into the bore of the tubing and while manipulating the rings onto the ends of the tubing.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED UEDZ 5 I975 Y M D mo O EW Md VI R A G BONNIE G. WOOD 141cm & 14am Fig. 6

SPLIT SOCKET WRENCH AND METHOD OF USING SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The spears in most spear guns are catapulted by trigger releasing of a tautened elastic member called a sling which is essentially composed of a very elastic live rubber tube secured to a V-shaped metal wire member having ball ends which are inserted in and clamped in the ends of the tubing. Since the principal use of this invention is related to such spear gun slings, the background of this invention may be regarded as primarily the difficulty experienced in assembling the slings, that is, in forcing the rings onto the ends of the rubber tubing after the ball-ended V-shaped metal wishbone has been entered into both ends of the tubing. Since this equipment is often merchandised in unassembled kit form and since surgical tubing is often purchased as such for use in refurbishing slings, a simple inexpensive tool to facilitate assembly is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As claimed, this item and method of using is essentially the construction and use of a handtool or more specifically a split socket wrench comprising a block with a stepped bore dimensioned to capture and hold a particular sized ring, the block being slightly compressible to clamp the ring, and the method of using the item involves the preliminary assembly of rings on a wishbone, insertion of the ball ends of the wishbone into the ends of a single section of elastic tubing, lubrication of the ends with a water-dispersible lubricant and using the described aplit socket wrench to force the rings onto the ends of the tubing outwardly of the ball ends of the wishbone.

. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partially assemble sling and this figure also illustrates the first steps in the claimed method of using the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale, of the split socket wrench;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the holding of the sling for insertion of the ball ends and the final step of forcing the ringsonto the tubing;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view further showing the application of the clamping ring; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a completed end of the sling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The sling to which this invention is related comprises a length of resilient tubing 10 which is ordinarily that sold as surgical tubing and the ends are tapered as indicated at 12. The wishbone 14 is a V-shaped wire element, very slightly resilient in that it will flex to some degree at the knee to and the terminal ball ends 18 are welded or otherwise strongly and permanently fixed to the wishbone. In assembling the sling a pair of annular bands or rings 20 are threaded over the ball ends 18 as indicated in FIG. 1 and the ball ends are forced into the bore of the tubing 10 as indicated in the same figure, after which the rings 20 are forced onto the tubing to the position shown best in FIG. 6 to hold the wishbone against withdrawal.

All the foregoing structure is well known but the difficulty to achieving the assembly is equally well known. According to this disclosure the tubing is held by a clamp such as that illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein the tub ing, near an end thereof, is gripped between a fixed recessed jaw 22 and a pivoted recessed jaw 24 which is pressed into clamping relation on the tubing 10 by a lever operated cam 26. Each tapered end 12 is lubricated, preferably with a water soluble or water dispersible material such as glycerine, to ease the driving of the ring onto the tapered end 12.

This operation is easily accomplished by using the split socket wrench 28 in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5. The split socket wrench is a block of rigid material which may have recessed sides as illustrated and which will ordinarily be sized to fit within the hand of the operator, with a bore 30 of a diameter substantially that of the rings 20, measured externally. This bore is stepped down to a smaller diameter portion 32 approximating the internal diameter of the rings 20, so that a shoulder 34 is formed internally of the socket wrench. Slight compressibility is provided for by splitting the block as indicated at 36 from the exterior to the bore and the split 36 is continued radially of the bore part way to the opposite edge of the block as indicated at 38. It will also be noted that the slots 36 and 38 cause the portion of the block beneath slot 38 to act as a pivot when the upper portions of the block are squeezed together so that increased leverage is provided for gripping the ring 20 in the bore 30. This leverage is especially important when the ring is being twisted onto the tubing, as the ring has a smooth surface and is not easily gripped for rotation.

In using the tool, the rings 20 are threaded onto the wishbone 14, the ball ends 18 are forced into the ends of the bore 40 of the tubing, the tapered ends are lubricated, and the wrench is then passed over the wishbone and moved to capture the rings individually in the bore 30, whereafter the shoulder 34 prevents escape of the rings in one direction and the operator compresses the wrench to prevent relative rotation of the rings within the wrench while the same is forced in the opposite direction, with a twisting motion, onto the lubricated tapered ends 12, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, into the final position indicated in FIG. 6. The rings are, of course, dimensioned to compress the tubing. A washing of the lubricant from the assembled sling completes the operation.

We claim:

1. A split socket wrench for manipultaing annular bands including clamping rings onto the pre-tapered end portions of an elastic tube to return therein a ballended wishbone of a spear gun sling, said wrench comprising:

a block of substantially rigid material having a bore extending thereinto from one face thereof for snug reception of a ring;

said block having a slot extending from one edge of the block to said bore so that said block can be inserted onto said wishbone;

said bore having an internal shoulder defined by a reduction of bore diameter at a point removed from said face, and said shoulder being capable of engaging one annular end face of said ring and capable of limiting the insertion of said ring into said bore;

position with said end face against said shoulder, then tightly clamped and then forced with a rotational as well as axial motion over said pre-tapered portions of the tube. 

1. A split socket wrench for manipultaing annular bands including clamping rings onto the pre-tapered end portions of an elastic tube to return therein a ballended wishbone of a spear gun sling, said wrench comprising: a block of substantially rigid material having a bore extending thereinto from one face thereof for snug reception of a ring; said block having a slot extending from one edge of the block to said bore so that said block can be inserted onto said wishbone; said bore having an internal shoulder defined by a reduction of bore diameter at a point removed from said face, and said shoulder being capable of engAging one annular end face of said ring and capable of limiting the insertion of said ring into said bore; said slot being continued in a part of said block at the side of said bore opposite to the first mentioned slot to localize pivotal deflection of principal portions of the block about that portion of the block adjacent to the second mentioned slot; whereby said ring can be captured in said bore in a position with said end face against said shoulder, then tightly clamped and then forced with a rotational as well as axial motion over said pre-tapered portions of the tube. 